Disk drive head suspensions with wireless or integrated lead flexures are generally known and disclosed, for example, in the following U.S. Patents, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Inventor NameU.S. Pat. No.Erpelding5,631,786Balakrishnan5,737,152Balakrishnan5,995,328Balakrishnan et al.6,038,102Balakrishnan et al6,275,358Shiraishi et al.6,839,204Kulangara et al.6,975,488
The continuing development of read/write head and related disk drive technology requires head suspensions having improved mechanical and electrical specifications. For example, there is a need for suspensions having increased signal current carrying capabilities, higher data rates and reduced size. Unfortunately, optimizing features of the suspensions to meet these goals is increasingly difficult. It is known, for example, that current carrying capabilities can be increased by widening the traces or decreasing the distance between adjacent traces. But constraints on the size of portions of the flexure traversed by the traces can limit the size of the traces. Although it is known that data rates can be increased by removing portions of the stainless steel spring metal below the traces (i.e. windowing), this approach can lead to higher impedances. There remains, therefore, a continuing need for improved integrated lead flexures.